This teaching method has been added to teachEUR by one of our colleagues. Due to the switch to online education, she noticed how much harder it is as a lecturer to truly stay in touch with students.
By submitting 'Stay human' as a teaching method she wants to emphasize the importance of keeping track of what's on students' minds and how they are doing.
- Activity goal
- Get to know each other
- When
- In class
- Where
- Online
- Duration
- < 10 minutes
- Group size
- Small | Medium
- Materials
MS Teams, Zoom
Step-by-step
Step 1
After you have finished the lecture, tell the students you will stay online for them for questions, to discuss any concerns they have or to just have a chat.
Step 2
Don't limit the conversation to the content of your course, but allow room to exchange pleasantries, share your hobbies, discuss concerns or crack a joke or two.
Step 3
Try to have an open attitude and if it feels all right, let the students see beyond your screen. You can also consider to take the lead in starting a conversation. In the interview with Radhika Mittal, the lecturer that contributed this activity, you will find some examples.
Tip 1
Allow students to ask you questions in a private chat message, or even in private breakout rooms. Or allow room for small group interactions between them.
Tip 2
As an opening question, you could ask the students where they are, what they did during the weekend, what they like and/or find difficult about the course, how they experience online education, what they think of a trending topic on social media and so on.
Watch this!
Sarah Young of ESHCC explains the importance of being professional and staying human.
MS Teams en Zoom for online meetings.
Zoom facilitates the use of a private chat within a meeting. In MS Teams you can only use a group chat during a meeting. However it is always possible to start a private chat simultaneously with the MS Teams Chat function.
Consider the tools and materials mentioned here as suggestions. In many cases it’s possible to use alternative tools. Please turn to the Learning & Innovation team of your faculty first to see which online and offline tools are available and how to apply them.
